


there's a difference between can't and don't

by Herenya



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-15
Updated: 2017-08-15
Packaged: 2018-12-15 17:28:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11810784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Herenya/pseuds/Herenya
Summary: Alex can cook, despite popular opinion to the contrary





	there's a difference between can't and don't

Contrary to popular belief amongst her friends, Alex can cook. She spent her teenage years feeding Kara after all (Eliza threw herself into her work after Jeremiah died; it was easier than facing life without him). After school snacks that were basically meals were second nature for Alex to make (before making actual dinner, then studying and doing her homework, and you can bet that she taught Kara how to make all manner of food that didn’t involve cooking just so that Alex could take a moment to herself and breathe).

She thinks the myth of her not being able to cook came from the fact that she just…didn’t. In college, she was working herself too hard (always trying, always striving, always looking for that approval that was never quite there) to bother with anything other than the bare minimum to make sure she didn’t get sick. And when the partying started, well, no one wants to deal with food while hungover. So toast and meal supplement shakes became her staples.

Even once she joined the DEO, Alex still couldn’t really be bothered. When you’ve been awake for 49 hours straight turning on your stove is more of a liability and safety risk than anything else. No, it was just faster and easier to stop on the way home and pick something up (the sub shop near her house was her favourite; when she walked in, Anna would grin at her and just start making Alex’s sub. On those days that was exactly what Alex needed).

When Kara moved to National City Alex started cooking a bit again. She would scour cookbooks and the internet, looking for easy but hearty meals, so she could feed her baby sister (and send the leftovers home with Kara; it was so deeply ingrained into her being to look after Kara that she didn’t think twice about it. Kara always came first in Alex’s mind). Even when Alex was dead on her feet, hiding bruises, hiding her exhaustion, hiding her life from Kara, she still made time and food for her sister.

Cooking for one always felt like an annoying waste of time, so most of the time Alex continued to just not do it. She made a decent salary at the DEO; and was well enough known by her favourite take out places that she got a lot of deals (it didn’t hurt that any time there was a hint of trouble at an of these places, she didn’t hesitate to flash her FBI badge and explain why causing trouble was a bad idea).

By the time Maggie came into her life, these habits were entrenched so deeply in Alex that Maggie bought into the “Alex can’t cook” myth (which was kind of fine by Maggie; she loved to cook for her girlfriend), despite Kara and Alex both telling her otherwise. 

One night, Maggie came home late, having been held up by a lead in her case. Alex had miraculously been home on time, and had fallen asleep on the couch waiting for her love. Maggie could smell something amazing lingering in the kitchen, and investigated the fridge before waking Alex. Despite her attempts to be quiet, it wasn’t long before she had Alex draped over her back, wrapping arms around her and pressing a kiss into the side of her neck. 

“Thanks for getting dinner babe”, Maggie said, turning in her love’s arms to face her. “Did you try a new place? This smells great.”

“No, I made it.”

“Alex, no offense, but this is vegan stir fry. And a damn good one. You know I love you but I’ve never seen you make anything more complicated than a pb&j.”

“Maggie I’ve been cooking for you for the last four months. Haven’t you noticed that the leftovers are always in our containers? Did you honestly think I was repackaging all of our food?” Alex was laughing now.

“No, but…. when did you learn? I mean, don’t you remember the time you literally pulled the smoke detector off the wall and threw it out?”

“What’s that got to do with my cooking skills? It was just a reflex for me. I wanted it to stop before Kara got overwhelmed by the noise. Do you have any idea how many of those she accidentally destroyed when we were growing up?”

Maggie thought back over the last few months, and she started to realize that Alex was right. Maggie had never questioned why, whenever she came home late, there was dinner in Tupperware containers waiting for her. Always vegan, always delicious, and always something new.

She was shocked. “I’m sorry, Alex. I didn’t realize that was you the whole time. I just thought-”

Alex grinned wryly (with maybe a hint of bitterness, not directed at Maggie exactly, but still there). “You thought I couldn’t cook.” Maggie hung her head sheepishly. “It’s ok, literally everyone except Kara thinks that. But, come on. No one makes it to 30 without being able to cook at least a few things, right? Plus, I grew up trying to keep a Kryptonian metabolism in check.”

“No, you’re right, it makes sense, I just have never seen you in the kitchen…for cooking” Maggie stressed with a grin when Alex playfully leered at her. “I guess I just assumed you weren’t interested.”

“There’s a fine line between ‘can’t’ and ‘don’t’ in life” Alex said. “Cooking for just myself seemed like too much work, so I just didn’t. Somewhere along the way, people confused my don’t with can’t. But I am more than happy to do this for you. Anytime”


End file.
